Just off Manhattan Avenue in Greenpoint is 50 Norman, a complex of Japanese shopping, dining, and culture all in one huge warehouse-like space. Inside, it might seem barebones: the walls are bricks painted white, the shelves are naked plywood, and heavy metal fluorescent lights hang from the ceiling. But truly, 50 Norman is a buzzing hub of high-quality ceramics, appliances, knives, artwork, apparel, and, most importantly, food — much like the Tokyo all-in-one department stores. The casual Cafe O’Te falls among the dining options, which opened over the summer of 2025. It’s centered on the hamburg (aka hambagu), a Japanese burger served without the American bun.
What to order
- The starring hamburg set ($35) is filling: The platter comes with a wagyu patty alongside all sorts of sides, including a salad made of kinpira salad with crunchy lotus roots, an onion soup, pickles, a demi-glace sauce, and more.
- I recommend cutting pieces of the meat and dipping them in the sauces around the sides and sauces. I particularly liked pouring the ponzu-drenched daikon onto my rice and adding some meat to make for a perfect bite.
- I’ve missed well-done and simple highballs. The O’Te ginger ($14) is a refreshing one.
The desserts
Did you know that New York City pastry maven Chika Hanyu is offering her desserts at the cafe under her C by C Chocolate & Pastry business? Now you do. There’s a decadently rich Japanese custard pudding ($10) and bright strawberry roll cake ($9).
Insider tip
Get some dashi at 50 Norman’s dashi shop, where you can even make your own stock at Dashi Okume. You can even pregame your Cafe O’Te meal with some dashi samples.
